Patriotism

What does patriotism look like? I have a cousin...two actually, who bleed in red, white and blue! One of them is in the Marine Corp, the other is in the Army...both officers. Oh, by the way, about their parents...dad is a firefighter in the Bronx and mom works for the school system...You can't make this stuff up...I swear this is one of the most American families I know of, and I am proud to be a small part of their lives.

By the way, we aren't just talking your regular, run-of-the-mill officers either. Both of them have attended and graduated the Naval Academy and West Point respectively...that's pretty hard core! How do you make that happen? Well, I once asked their mom and she told me (if I remember right) that she sang our National Anthem to them every night when they were babies...I have no reason to doubt her.

When I hear people bitch and moan about opportunity, I just think of these guys. They aren't the wealthiest people on the planet and they have had to work...strike that, FIGHT, for everything that they have in their lives and they don't complain. They are model parents and active community members. There should be more people like them in the world and if there were, the world would be a much better place...SERIOUSLY.

You see, patriotism is not just about serving in the military. It has to do with the way that we raise our kids. It has to do with the pride that we take in our role as public servants, and furthermore to the degree that we give back in some small way, or contribute to the continued greatness of our country. It has to do with the way that we live our lives and with the conviction that we are here to make a difference.

Patriotism is in our veins as a family and we are proud to be a part of a much bigger family called the United States of America. It's a great family, but we still need to fight to keep it intact and strong. We each pass the torch to the next generation as our responsibilities to that fight change and evolve. This family, my cousins...epitomize that responsibility on every level. They are a case study in patriotism, and I dig them for that.

Every family has its issues, and I am not saying that they are perfect...but they are worth noting and worth knowing. Luckily, I know them and have some of their blood in my veins and that is a very cool thing.

Those are my thoughts tonight on patriotism...how patriotic is your family?

As a parting thought, I have one thing to say to you...My cousins can kick your cousins ass!

How 'bout them apples...

Rock On!


Rob